A SILK AND METALLIC THREAD CARPET

CIRCA 1900

Details

A SILK AND METALLIC THREAD CARPET
CIRCA 1900
The main field woven with a central phoenix medallion flanked at either end by four long-tailed phoenixes centered on a cloud-enshrouded sun, within a narrow foliate scroll border and an outer border of wan-fret reserved with cartouches of 'antiques', all in muted shades of gold, ivory, peach, blue and mauve on a gold metallic thread ground, woven at one end with a five-character hall mark, Qianqing Gong Yugong, which may be translated, 'For use in the hall of Heavenly Purity'
97 x 60 5/8 in. (246.5 x 154.3 cm.)

Lot Essay

The Qianqing Gong, or Palace of Heavenly Purity, the first of the Three Rear Halls, formerly contained the sleeping chambers of Ming emperors. During the Qing Dynasty, however, emperors began to manage state affairs from the Qianqing Gong. The Palace was eventually turned into a formal living room and offices where emperors summoned subordinates for consultation, received foreign envoys, as well as gave banquets for family members, relatives and high officials. See Wan-go Weng and Yang Boda, The Palace Museum: Peking, Treasures of the Forbidden City, New York, 1982, p. 50.

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